Top 20 train stations in Shiga Prefecture

Updated: Mar. 21, 2022滋賀県の一番美しい駅舎 〜心に残る駅舎〜 The train station is a major gateway to the local area, and it may give first-time visitors their first impressions of the place. It’s like the… Read more

Lake Biwa Museum video

My video about Lake Biwa Museum in Kusatsu and Lake Biwa. My longest video yet at 1 hr. 6 min. I try to make my videos as short as possible, but… Read more

Yokaichi Shotoku Matsuri Goshu Ondo

Video link: http://youtu.be/U6vSoyvD2Sw This is my video of the Yokaichi Shotoku Matsuri (八日市聖徳まつり) festival in Higashi-Omi, Shiga Prefecture on the evening of July 27, 2013. It’s an annual bon dance held… Read more

Hikone Castle video

Video link: http://youtu.be/X2uMzVDwe5I Another video hosted by English-speaking kids. Since two of them were from Hikone, I decided to make a video of Hikone Castle, which I call one of Shiga’s… Read more
odako

Higashi-Omi Giant Kite Festival 2013

Video link: http://youtu.be/Y6DMpluPV9k Here’s my video of the Higashi-Omi Giant Kite Festival (東近江大凧まつり Higashi-Omi Odako Matsuri) held on Sunday, May 26, 2013 in Higashi-Omi. Another one of my ongoing video… Read more
Hikone byobu

Hikone Byobu National Treasure folding screen

Updated: April 25, 2024 Hikone Castle Museum exhibits the Hikone Byobu folding screen (彦根屏風), a National Treasure, every spring usually for a month from mid-April to mid-May. In 2023, the screen… Read more

Shiga’s Top 10 festivals in April-May

Updated: Aug. 2, 2025 April is a great month. Soon after the onslaught of cherry blossoms, we have an onslaught of festivals (matsuri). This is the time to go out… Read more

Hiko-nyan show schedule at Hikone Castle

Updated: Sept 14, 2025 Hikone’s nationally famous official mascot, Hiko-nyan (ひこにゃん) (also spelled Hikonyan ひこんやん), is a white beckoning cat (maneki-neko) wearing a red samurai helmet with golden horns. “Hiko”… Read more